SaddleSore 1600K, 2000K and Bun Burner 2500K Guidelines

SaddleSore and Bun Burner Guidelines may be reproduced
and distributed as needed for personal or club use.

SaddleSore History

Prior to 1993, the Iron Butt Association did not certify 1600 kilometers (1000 miles)
in 24 hour rides. To that point we referred riders to other organizations.
Unfortunately, that occasionally turned out to be a mistake. In some
cases, organizations that claimed to have rides didn't, while others
took riders' money and never delivered promised awards.

Although it was never the Iron Butt Association's intention to certify
1,000-in-1 rides, the number of letters we received asking to do so had
become staggering. With some serious pushing from our members, we agreed
to certify a variety of long distance rides. At this same time, the
IBA had been working closely with Les Martin at the California Motocycle
Touring Association (CMTA) for ride certifications taking place in
California, Nevada and Oregon. As it turns out our decision to gear
up for ride certifications came about the same time Les Martin had announced
he was retiring (1993). With Les moving on to a (hopefully!) more relaxed
lifestyle, we were sad to see the rich history of the SaddleSore and
BunBurner rides he had been working so hard on for so many years to be
lost. It only took a few minutes of discussion of our plans with Les before
he decided to donate both the SaddleSore and BunBurner names to the Iron
Butt Association. During the CMTA days, the SaddleSore was 1,000 miles in
24 hours day certification and the BunBurner was 1,500 miles in 36 hours.
The IBA renamed the rides slightly, the SaddleSore became the SaddleSore 1000
(1,000 miles in 24 hours) and the BunBurner became the BunBurner 1500 (1,500
miles in 36 hours). At the same time, we created the BunBurner GOLD (1,500
miles in 24 hours) as so many riders had "unofficially" been documented
since the early 1980s.

With so many riders around the world asking to do Iron Butt rides, we
felt it only fitting to create kilometer based rides!

We hope that we can continue the quality and tradition of the ride to
which Les Martin devoted so many years of his life.

SaddleSore Guidelines

Riders that succesfully have a SaddleSore or Bun Burner ride certified
receive a certificate, an Iron Butt Association pin and ride patch (crest)

Every time I read these Guidelines, they seem overly complex. However, they were
developed by one of our members involved in record keeping for various
sporting events. There is no doubt that the documentation requirements
for these certification are tough, but when you hang your certificate on the wall,
you can rest easy knowing that we just don't hand these out to anyone. When
the ride is over, you have survived not only a very tough ride, but you'll
have the documentation to back up your claims. How many riders can say that?

When you read the following Guidelines, keep in mind that our goal is to see a
well documented ride. If you cannot follow the Guidelines exactly, feel free to
drop us a line with a proposal. We will be happy to review your plans
and possibly accept changes to this format.

Last Revision: May 1, 2004 - always check that these are the current
Guidelines before starting your ride! Note:The Iron Butt Association web page will
always have the most current Guidelines for this ride.

Following are the guidelines for earning an Iron Butt Association Pin and
patch (crest) and a Certificate of Completion for a 1,610 kilometer
ride in 24 hours (SaddleSore 1600K), 2,000 kilometers in 24 hours (SaddleSore
2000K), 2,500 kilometers in 36 hours (BunBurner 2500K) or 2,500
kilometers in 24 hours (BunBurner 2500K GOLD).

It is possible to complete both the SaddleSore 1600K
and Bun-Burner 2500k on the same ride (or SS2000K and BB2500K).
For example, in the first 24 hours
you ride 1,610 kilometers and then continue on the second day
and ride another 900 kilometers or more.
Should you complete both the SaddleSore and Bun-Burner on the same ride
and want certificates for both, please see the attached fee schedule.

WARNING: Before you can apply for Bun Burner 2500K Gold certification (2,500+ kilometers in 24 hours),
you must have at least completed one of the following; a SaddleSore 1000, SaddleSore 1600K, a Bun Burner 1500 (1,500 miles in 36 hours),
SaddleSore 2500K (2,500 kilmoters in 36 hours) or a SaddleSore 2000K (or other similiar IBA ride).

You may also complete the ride two-up (with one person doing the piloting,
the other being a passenger the entire distance - you may not share piloting
duties!). In these cases, the Iron Butt
Association issues one certificate, with both rider and passenger on it, but
we provide two copies of it; one for the rider
and one for the passenger. There is no additional charge for a passenger,
however, if they would like a pin or patch, you will need to add
that in on the fee schedule.

There are five steps to earning a SaddleSore or Bun Burner certification;
1. Choose a safe route, 2. get a start witness, 3. collect and track receipts,
4. get an end witness and 5. copy and submit your documentation. Since
safety is our primary concern, no pre-registration of your ride is needed.
Our goal is to give you added flexibility to decide on any given day whether
the combination of weather, your motorcycle and most importantly, your
attitude, are ready for a big ride.

STEP ONE, Choose a SAFE route

Your ride needs to be completely documented (steps outlined below) and
cover a minimum distance of 1,610 kilometers in 24 hours or less (SaddleSore 1600 and 2000k),
or 2,500 kilometers in 36 hours or less (Bun Burner). In order to keep these
rides from becoming a race, rides in excess of 3,000 kilometers in less than
24 hours will be published as 3,000+ on the Iron Butt Association web site.

WARNING: Unless your speedometer has been calibrated, do NOT depend on your
own odometer readings for official readings! Most Japanese motorcycles
register five to ten percent more kilometers than actually traveled. Over the
course of a 24 hour period, this error can be quite severe - as much as 200
kilometers. IN ALL CASES, mileage will be verified with either paper or
computer maps of the country you live in.

From a documentation standpoint, the best route is one where you take a
straight line ride from point to point (for example, start in Chicago,
Illinois and finish in Denver, Colorado). However, we realize that many
riders cannot afford to devote this kind of time to their ride. With that in
mind, you may choose any route you wish using the following guidelines:

If you choose a circular route, you will need to obtain a dated
receipt at each "corner" to show that you did not take a short-
cut. For example, if you choose to ride the circular route of Chicago,
Illinois to St. Louis, Missouri to Kansas City, Kansas to Des Moines,
Iowa and back to Chicago, we would expect to receive receipts from each
of those cities (in addition to the Guidelines that follow).

If you choose a route where you ride 750 kilometers and then turn around and
come back, you must get a dated receipt at the turn around point.
For example, if you were to start in Denver, Colorado and ride to Omaha,
Nebraska and back to Denver, we would expect a receipt from Omaha (in
addition to the Guidelines that follow).

We strongly discourage, and in some cases may reject, routes that are
repetitive in nature. For example, we would not accept a claim that you
rode five round-trips between Daytona Beach, Florida and Jacksonville, a
distance of only 150 kilometers...

Although this is not much of an issue in the USA and Canada, please note: We do not certify rides where the maximum speed limit
is too low to support the average speed necessary to complete the ride within the time limit.

A safe ride should be your primary goal.
If this is your first attempt at a 1,610 kilometer day, we highly recommend that
you study the Iron Butt Association's 25 long distance riding tips located at:
25 Tips. Additionally,
Divided highway (for example: Interstates, Autobans, Autostrada, etc) systems offers the
safest and quickest way to cover the kilometers. With efficient time management,
many riders leave early in the morning and are home in time for a late dinner.
Other riders will split the SaddleSore and BunBurner rides in two parts,
riding through the day and stopping for a motel room and continuing the
ride after a long rest stop (obviously, with 36 hours available, the BunBurner
offers a little more motel time).

No pre-registration is needed for the SaddleSore or Bun Burner rides. We feel
this removes the pressure to complete the ride should you become tired or
otherwise feel unsafe.
While group SaddleSore rides bring with them the safety of group travel,
they can also increase your risk by encouraging you to press on when you
might otherwise stop. Group rides can also encourage aggressive riding. Be
sure riding styles of others in your group match your style. When planning
a ride, keep in mind that group rides are only as fast as the
slowest person in the group. This can extend your riding day many hours
pushing you toward fatigue.

Motorcycling comes with risk and riding a 1,610 kilometers or more increases your risk
substantially. It is imperative you understand the risk you are taking and
minimize the possibility of an accident by practicing safe motorcycle habits.
No one, not even the most experienced long distance rider, can safely
fight off fatigue. If you are tired, the only option is to stop and rest.
Ignoring the symptoms of fatigue can be fatal.
The SaddleSore and BunBurner rides enjoy a fantastic safety record but to
continue this record requires you to do your part. If you are tired, having
a bad day, or facing other hurtles that are impacting your riding skills,
please stop and rest so that you may enjoy motorcycling another day!

Please remember that Iron Butt Association is dedicated to the sport of safe,
long-distance motorcycle riding. It does not condone nor will it tolerate unsafe
activities such as excessive speed, reckless motorcycle operation,
riding while fatigued or otherwise impaired, the use of stimulants to
maintain alertness, or any other activity that results in riders exceeding
their personal limits. Any rider found to have engaged in these or other
unsafe activities, as determined in the sole discretion of the IBA, while
participating in an event organized or sanctioned by the IBA, shall be
subject to disqualification not only from that event but from future
events. Such disqualification may occur retroactively if the unsafe
activity is revealed after the conclusion of the event. For these
purposes, the IBA will consider as an admission of violating this policy
any public statements made by the participant that describe participation
in unsafe activities during an organized or sanctioned IBA event.

STEP TWO: Get a start witness

In order to document your ride, the Iron Butt Association requires that
obtain an eyewitness to document the start of your ride. Witnesses
may be a friend (but not one on the ride with you), spouse or even gas station attendant willing
to answer a letter from the IBA about your start or end time. If a passenger
is on the ride with you, please ask your witnesses to sign a form for them also.

Make sure that you inform potential witnesses that the Iron Butt
Association may be auditing certain aspects of your ride and may be sending
them a letter with a copy of the page they signed asking them to verify the
information provided. Keep in mind that a witness who doesn't bother to
respond to
an audit letter is as good as having no witness at all! To this extent, it
is highly recommended that you send a thank you note to all of your
witnesses after you complete your ride.

Try to remember that you must act as a salesperson each time you approach
someone to sign your log. If someone doesn't want to provide their home
address - suggest they give a business address. According to experienced
riders, taking a few minutes to explain your ride to potential witnesses
will get them involved. Most people will actually feel honored to sign
your witness form. However, attitude plays a key role, if someone refuses
to sign your book, don't argue, move on to the next person.

NOTE: Bun Burner 2500k GOLD riders require at least two witnesses.

STEP THREE: Collect and track receipts

Before the start, you will want to try gas stations to find one that has a
receipt with a good location, time and date on it to document the start of your ride.

Fill up your gas tank and obtain a computer printed gas receipt with a
legible date and time stamp. NOTE: Many gas stations in both the United
States and in Europe are printing an "invoice number" which is actually
the time of the transaction for example, you might see Inv# 113557 which
means 11:35:57 am. You may also elect to use a bank ATM receipt with a
time and date stamp for your start time.

* * * THE COMPUTER TIME STAMP WILL BE YOUR OFFICIAL STARTING TIME * * *

The following log entries and completed witness forms are mandatory:

Log entries must be made at each gas stop (sample attached). A log entry
includes the following information; DATE, TIME, TIME ZONE, LOCATION (i.e.
Moline, IL) and ODOMETER reading. A receipt must accompany each log book
entry (please note, that the receipts from these gas stops, where possible
possible should include a date stamp - we do NOT care about time stamps on
these receipts, do not waste time worrying about time stamps, the only time
stamps that are critical are the start and finish receipts!).

In order for the verification team to account for your time (important for
the verification work they do), log entries must be made at each stop longer
than 20 minutes (for example you decide to stop at a roadside rest stop for
a nap or get a motel room during the ride). Each entry for extended stops
must include the approximate length of the stop or the start time and ending
time. Meals that take longer than 20 minutes are considered rest stops -
where possible please try and obtain a restaurant receipt. Obviously, many
types of stops, for example a stop in a rest area, will not generate any
kind of receipt - this is acceptable, but please account for the time
in your trip log.

WARNING: If your motorcycle is equipped with a large fuel-tank, please note
that you must stop at least once every 600 kilometers for gas (this is purely
for documentation for your ride). Although we know it is possible to ride
greater distances non-stop, we will not accept a claim of this type.

At the end of your ride, before the 24 hour time period is up, obtain a
computer printed gas receipt with a legible location, date and time stamp.

* * * THE COMPUTER TIME STAMP BE YOUR OFFICIAL ENDING TIME * * *

STEP FOUR: Get an end witness:

After you get the gas receipt, find at least one eyewitness to document
your ending time. Like the start, your witness may be a friend (but not
one on the ride with you), spouse or even gas station attendant willing
to answer a letter from the IBA about your start or end time.

NOTE: Bun Burner 2500k GOLD riders require at least two witnesses.

STEP FIVE: Prepare, Copy and Submit your documentation.

Find a map (an old, or photocopied one is acceptable) and circle the
cities you stopped in (don't forget the start and ending points) for
gas/food/etc (a Xerox of a map is acceptable). This map to assist the
person verifying the routes and is meant to give a good overall picture
of your ride. You do not actually have to find the small towns you stopped
in, just circle the approximate area. The best map is one that shows your route
on one or two pages. Please do not send in multi-page route sheets from
mapping programs or an Auto club they are to hard for the verification team
to get a good overview of your ride.

COPY your receipts and number the copies to correspond to your trip log.

COPY your witness forms and log.

* * * Retain your original documentation - only send copies! * * *

If needed, write a short note about any problems with your ride, for example,
"The receipt from Zurich, Switzerland does not have the correct date. I had
the attendant write the correct date. The stations number is 555 555-1234.

COMPLETE the attached form. Basically, this is information where to send
the awards, what name and motorcycle you want on the certificate and the
basic route you would like the award to note.

CALCULATE the fee. We offer several options. You can just get the paper
certificate for the ride, or in combination with Iron Butt Association
pins and patches.

FINALLY, send it to:

Iron Butt Association, P.O. Box 9450, Naperville, IL 60567-9450 USA Please make your check
payable in US funds to the "Iron Butt Association". Please note that we do not make any
money on this ride, this is our approximate cost of administrating the
Saddlesore and Bun-Burner program.

If you cannot easily locate a check payable in US Funds (for Canada, Canadian Postal Money orders work great), but have a
Visa, Mastercard, we can send you an electronic invoice that will give you several ways to pay securely on-line.

Please try and avoid Federal Express, UPS or Certified mail - although
it may seem faster to use these services, we are at our full-time jobs
during the day and sometimes it can take weeks to take time off from
work to pick up your "speedy" package.

When we get your ride documentation, one of several people will start the
verification process. Due to the extensive work involved (keying data
into mileage spreadsheets, map verifications, witness contacts where needed
and custom certificate preparations) and the fact that approximately 60%
of the labor involved with producing these awards are performed by
volunteers, it will usually take a minimum of 2 to 3 months before
your certificates will be ready for signature and mailed to you.

We realize this is a long time to wait for your certification. However,
our certification process is very thorough. In fact, the entire certification
process is what gives your certificate value. It would be very easy for
the Iron Butt Association to simply take money and print up a generic
"you rode a 1,610 kilometers in a day" certificate, however, the value of the entire
certification program is in the fact that not just anyone can get an
Iron Butt Association ride certification. The downside
is this process takes time... We can only offer that when you recieve
your certification you know that not only you earned it, but so did
any other rider that you meet with the same certification.

Before we can issue your certification, you may be asked to clarify
certain aspects of your ride and/or documentation by either e-mail,
phone or letter. Additionally, certain aspects of your ride are subject
to audit by yet another set of IBA volunteers charged with insuring only
people that rode the miles get the award. Should your package get tagged
for that audit, it too may delay the final determination of your claim
for the award.

Out on the road it may not be possible to follow these Guidelines to the letter.
If that happens, please explain any problem you encountered and we will do
our best to work out a solution. For example, 23 hours and 35 minutes into
this ride, one person could not find a gas station with a computer generated
receipt (obviously, our favorite type), so he got a few locals to witness
the time he arrived. His other documents clearly supported his claim of
riding the distance in the time-frame he claimed so we did not hesitate
to process his award.

If you have any questions about this ride, you may write to the Iron Butt
Association, P.O. Box 9450, Naperville, IL 60567-9450 USA or send e-mail to
kneebone@ironbutt.com.

Checklist of documents needed for Iron Butt Association SaddleSore 1600K,
SaddleSore 2000K, BunBurner 2500K, BunBurner 2500K GOLD certifications:
___ Copies of Witness forms (starting and ending, others)
___ Copies of Receipts (do not send originals!)
___ Map (may be photocopy) showing route with towns stopped in circled
___ Explanation of any problems encountered, for example, "In central
Illinois, at my third gas stop, I was unable to get a dated
receipt. I asked the attendant to sign his name on the back
but he refused to do so. The phone number of the station is
(555) 555-1212 - he will verify that I was there at 10 a.m.
on August 4, 2001."
Also, please complete the following information for your certificate
(it goes to the person that does the certificate and not the verification
team):
Ride you completed (circle): SaddleSore 1600k, SaddleSore 2000k
Bun-Burner 2500k or Bun-Burner 2500k GOLD

FEE SCHEDULE
Please use the following fee schedule to calculate the cost of awards:
SaddleSore 1600K or Bun-Burner 2500K (complete package,
verification, 1 ride pin (if you want the PATCH INSTEAD WRITE
IN RED ON FIRST PAGE OF APPLICATION - SEND PATCH INSTEAD OF PIN!),
1 IBA plate back and certificate)
(savings of $2.00) over individual pricing: $46.00
If you have completed both the SaddleSore 1600K and
Bun-Burner 2500K on the same ride, there are some savings
for us in postage and administrative costs that we can
pass on to you.
Additional certification (Bun-Burner with SaddleSore) $20.00
Additional items:
Additional COPY of certificate
(for example, an extra SaddleSore certificate) $ 4.00
SaddleSore 1,600k ride pin if desired: $ 7.50
SaddleSore 1,600k ride PATCH if desired: $ 7.75
SaddleSore 2,000k ride pin if desired: $ 7.50
SaddleSore 2,000k ride PATCH if desired: $ 7.75
Bun Burner 2,500k/36 hour ride pin if desired: $ 7.50
Bun Burner 2,500k/36 hour ride PATCH if desired: $ 7.75
Bun Burner 2,500k GOLD ride pin if desired: $ 7.50
Bun Burner 2,500k GOLD ride PATCH if desired: $ 7.75
World's Toughest Riders plate back if desired: $ 6.00
(this plate will NOT fit many world license plates,
but many riders from around the world have adopted it
to fit).
Total Enclosed: ____________

OR

If you already have or do not want pins or patches,
or want additional items, please use this list
SaddleSore or Bun-Burner (certificate only): $35.00
If you have completed both the SaddleSore 1600k and
Bun-Burner 2500k on the same ride, there are some savings
for us in postage and administrative costs that we can
pass on to you.
Additional certification (Bun-Burner with SaddleSore) $20.00
Additional COPY of certificate
(for example, an extra SaddleSore certificate) $ 4.00
SaddleSore 1,600k ride pin if desired: $ 7.50
SaddleSore 1,600k ride PATCH if desired: $ 7.75
SaddleSore 2,000k ride pin if desired: $ 7.50
SaddleSore 2,000k ride PATCH if desired: $ 7.75
Bun Burner 2,500k/36 hour ride pin if desired: $ 7.50
Bun Burner 2,500k/36 hour ride PATCH if desired: $ 7.75
Bun Burner 2,500k GOLD ride pin if desired: $ 7.00
Bun Burner 2,500k GOLD ride PATCH if desired: $ 7.75
World's Toughest Riders plate back if desired: $ 6.00
(this plate will NOT fit many world license plates,
but many riders from around the world have adopted it
to fit).
Total Enclosed: ____________
DO NOT SEND CASH! If you are from a country outside the United States
please write kneebone@ironbutt.com for alternate methods of payment!
Address to mail certificates to:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Contact phone number(s), best time to reach you:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
If you have one, your e-mail address: ___________________________
Have you ever completed an Iron Butt Association ride before? ________
Name you want on certificate: ___________________________________
(for example, Jonathan J. Smith, SR or John Smith)
Your age (only used for statistics): _________
Circle One (only used for statistics): Male Female
Did you do this ride with anyone else? Y/N If so, who:
______________________________________________________________
Date of start: ___________________ (for example, January 5, 2001)
Motorcycle make/model ridden: _______________________________
Note: this is used on your certificate. For example, do you want
us to list your Honda Gold Wing as a Honda GL1500 or do you want
us to list it as a Honda Gold Wing. You may also include a
model year if you want, for example; 1993 Honda Gold Wing.
NOTE: If you are applying for both a SaddleSore and BunBurner, please
indicate mileages for both rides and start/end and mid point cities
for both rides (you can do this on this part of the form or duplicate
this page with the information).
Method (and name of propgram if you used a computer) used to calculate
your milage (mapping program, paper map, hoped your odometer was ok?):
Method: _____________________ /Kilometers Calculated: ___________
Kilometers ridden according to your odometer: _______________________
Note: These will probably be changed by the verification team.
If you used a GPS (Global Positioning Device) and noted your
mileage, please enter that reading here: _______________________
Cities/towns your route included:
NOTE: The following is used only for the people that do the certificates
to make them more understandable. Try and answer the following questions
to make your certificate reflect your ride.
Sample wording of a SaddleSore Certificate (please keep this format
in mind as you answer the following questions):
This is to Certify that on June 27, 2014, Joe Rider rode a Honda XZV750
Africa Twin a total of 1,624 kilometers (1,008 miles) in less than
twenty-four hours starting in La Jonquera, Spain continuing on to Avignon,
France, Mulhouse, France and Frankfurt am Main, Germany, before ending
in Hamburg, Germany while participating in the SaddleSore 1600K.
Name of start city: ______________________________________
Note: for the **certificate** you may substitute a large city nearby
if you want); for example, if you start in DesPlaines, Illinois,
(a suburb of Chicago), it is acceptable to put Chicago as the starting
point for the certificate.
Name of end city for SaddleSore: ________________________
Note: Same Guidelines apply to these cities as noted above.
Name of end city for Bun Burner: ________________________
Note: Same Guidelines apply to these cities as noted above.
Your certificate will highlight up to FIVE cities as midpoints.
Please list UP TO FIVE cities that helps highlight your route for your
certificate:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Note: Some of these cities may be listed on your certificate and the
same Guidelines apply to these cities as noted above. For example, we
might want to say, Jerry Jones started in New York, New York continued
on to Daytona Beach, Florida before ending her ride in Little Rock,
Arkansas.
Please note that this is only an attempt to make your certificate more
readable - do not stop 100 kilometers short of Frankfort, Germany and
expect us to create a certificate that reads Frankfort. This is to
make the certificates more readable so that when you display them, your
riding friends will better grasp the immense ride you took.
Finally, you must certify that what you are telling us is accurate:
I (print name): _____________________________, hereby certify that the
statements in this application for certification are true to the best
of my knowledge and belief.
Signed: _________________________ Date: ___________
Send the package, along with a check for US funds to (PLEASE DO NOT
USE A STAPLE ON YOUR CHECK) to:
Iron Butt Association
P.O. Box 9450
Naperville, IL 60567-9450 USA
DO NOT send CASH! Please contact donna@ironbutt.com if you are from
outside of North America and need alternate means of payment! Canadians,
Canada Postal Money Orders work really well.
Have access to a scanner and WANT TO TRY ELECTONIC APPLICATION? Visit:
IBA Electronic Application Guidelines

Should you decide to tackle the SaddleSore or Bun-Burner,
we wish you the best of luck and look forward to hearing about your
ride!